Chapter One Hundred: Ink Bamboo Puppet

  "Chu Cheng, I heard you came specifically looking for me?" The Ninth Forge Master suddenly said coldly.

  "It is." Chu Cheng took out the long gun Jing Guang and handed it to Master Jiu Yan: "Master, as for this gun, I have many doubts, please enlighten me."

  The Ninth Forge Master stretched out his hand, and the long spear suddenly disappeared, only to reappear in the Ninth Forge Master's hand in an instant.

  With both hands stroking the Long Gun, a nostalgic look appeared on the face of the Ninth Master. However, just a moment later, his face was filled with unbelievable joy.

  "This... this gun... how can it have a spirit? This... how is this possible?" The Ninth Forge Master's hands shook, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

  "Hmph, Jiu Yan, your gun has become a spirit artifact in someone else's hands. You should be ashamed to death! Didn't you say before that this gun had problems and would never become a spirit artifact? Looks like you've slapped yourself in the face now?" Luo Hongchen sneered, ridiculing him mercilessly.

  "Shut up!" The Ninth Master shouted, then looked at Chucheng: "This spear, I invested countless heart and blood, but ultimately found that it can't merge with the spiritual energy, can't be promoted to a spiritual artifact! How did it possess spiritual energy?"

  The body of the Ninth Forge Master burst forth with a powerful aura that shot into the sky, actually reaching the Mountain and Sea Realm!

  "Perhaps... it's because of the Divine Fetus Blood Symbol?" Chu Cheng had a faint idea in his mind.

  He told the story of how he had initially tempered the Long Spear with blood, causing a blood vessel to grow inside it, and later killed the Iron-Backed Giant Python, whose soul became the spear's spirit.

  Having heard his words, Jiu Yan's master stood still, lost in thought.

  "Don't mind him, he's in a state of deep focus and won't wake up until he's figured it out. Chucheng, tell me about your life these past years, okay?" Madam Xiang said softly.

  "Alright, senior." Chu Cheng didn't understand how Mrs. Xiang wasn't interested in hearing his own story, but rather wanted to know about Chu Tian Ge's stories over the years.

  Then he began to recount slowly and in as much detail as possible.

  Time flies, and three hours have passed in no time.

  "He's had a tough time all these years... His sister died a terrible death, and his heart must be in a lot of pain too?" Madam Xiang sighed, lost in thought.

  "I suppose so. The old man has been pushing himself too hard all these years..." Chu Cheng also let out a sigh.

  "It's been so many years... Ah, Chucheng, you must have guessed the relationship between me and your father by now?" said Mrs. Xiang.

  "I guessed some of it, but not much." Chu Cheng said honestly.

  "It's been twenty years, some things, if I don't say them out loud, will suffocate me to death." Madam Xiang let out a sigh and spoke slowly.

  This is a very clichéd story.

  Twenty years ago, the Youth Hero Conference, Chu Tiange's stunning performance suppressed many extraordinary geniuses, winning the admiration of many beauties. Among them were two sisters who stood out from the rest. These two sisters also had many suitors, including Chu Tiange, Luo Hongchen, Jiu Duan Master, and Shen Junxia, who were among the most outstanding ones.

  Among these geniuses of the same generation, it ultimately turned out that both sisters had a crush on Chu Tian Ge, Luo Hong Chen and Jiu Yan Dashi were in love with the elder sister, while Shen Jun Xia was in love with the younger sister.

  In the end, Chu Tiange chose his sister, but his elder sister still didn't give up, having a deep affection for Chu Tiange until now.

  After his sister's tragic death, Shen Junxiao was forced to marry another woman under the pressure of the Shen family. Luo Hongchen, on the other hand, chose to leave home and wander far away under the immense pressure from the Luo family, and has remained unmarried to this day. As for Jiu Duan Master, he is now lonely and isolated, with no one by his side.

  After hearing this story, Chu Cheng couldn't help but sigh in his heart: The old man is really awesome, so cool!

  There is no doubt that the elder sister of the two sisters was Mrs. Xiang, and the younger sister was the deceased mother of Chu Cheng.

  These two sisters were both geniuses in their youth, and they both fell for the old man. The old man's luck with women seems to be too strong, doesn't it?

  "Your mother died in a meteor shower, and that meteor shower was not a natural disaster, but **! In these twelve years, I have been searching diligently, but still can't find much information. All I can confirm is that the meteor shower on that day was caused by a battle between two powerful beings above the Divine Realm!" Madam Xiang sighed:

  "Chu City, a realm of the strong in the Divine Path! Not even one has appeared throughout all of Chu State, and even in the entire Great Qin Empire, there hasn't been a second person besides that Emperor of Qin. That person who fought back then was probably not from the Great Qin Empire, but rather from outside!"

  Not a person of the Great Qin Empire?

  "Is there really no one in the entire Chu State who is above the Spiritual Realm? Not even in the royal family? Or among the four major families? And not even in the Dugu family?"

  "The strongest in the royal family is said to be Chu Bawang. However, this person has long since disappeared and no one knows if he is still alive. Among the four major families, only the Luo family had a strong presence above the spiritual realm, but they have also left, going to a wider world. As for the Dugu family... their rise was very mysterious, and now only Dugu Yan and Dugu Han remain in Chu State." said Lady Xiang.

  Dugu Yan, 3rd among the top 10 strongest in the Mountain and Sea Realm. Dugu Han, 1st on the Heavenly Ranking of the Blue Ming List.

  "Chu City, you are still young, this deep hatred and resentment should not be borne by you. Everything is on me and Chu Tian Ge's body. You should focus on preparing for the Youth Hero Conference instead. Twenty years ago, your father was the only one; five years ago, your older brother was the first among his peers. And now, you should also strive to be the first." said Mrs. Xiang.

  "That's natural." Chu Cheng nodded slightly, with an unspoken confidence.

  "The mortal world sends you a sword, I'll also send you something, hoping it will be of some use to you." Madame Xiang's sleeves fluttered lightly, and a black light flew out from the distant mansion, landing beside Chu Cheng, but it was a three-meter-tall humanoid puppet.

  "When my sister and I left the family, we only brought out this 'Xiang Zhu Fu Di'. There aren't many good things in it, but this ink bamboo puppet is one of them. You have your father's mark on you, so a strong Five Elements Realm cultivator might not dare to attack you, but someone from the Seven Treasures Realm will definitely make a move against you. This puppet can help you kill powerful enemies."

  Madam Xiang pointed with one hand, and a divine thought was transmitted into Chu Cheng's mind. It was the detailed information of this Mo Zhu puppet.

  At this sight, Chu Cheng was immediately stunned and sighed at the wonders of creation.

  This ink bamboo puppet is made from the special product of Xiangjiang Water Mansion, combined with hundreds of precious materials, and has a powerful intelligent core that is no less than the defensive power of a strong practitioner of the Five Elements Boundary, as well as controllable attacking power.

  A powerful intelligent core enables Chu City to freely control the Mo Zhu puppet to complete high-difficulty tasks, and even the Mo Zhu puppet can run independently, just like a real person.

  This ink bamboo puppet can be infused with Xuanli or Xuanqi, and depending on the infusion, it possesses attack power of either Qibao Realm or Wuxing Realm. It can also use special "Xuanshi" as energy.

  Xuan Stone is a general equivalent used by cultivators, just like gold in the mundane world.

  Xuan Stone is only produced in Xuan Stone veins, where it contains Xuan Qi. It is an essential item for cultivators of the Five Elements realm to cultivate, as absorbing its Xuan Qi can increase their cultivation speed.

  Mystic stones have different grades, divided into lower, middle and upper. One piece of lower-grade mystic stone can be exchanged for 100 gold coins. One piece of mid-grade mystic stone is equivalent to 100 pieces of lower-grade mystic stone. One piece of high-grade mystic stone is equivalent to 100 pieces of mid-grade mystic stone.

  This ink bamboo puppet can be activated with a low-grade Xuan stone, but its attack power is only equivalent to that of the weakest Qi Bao realm strongman. If it is activated with a high-grade Xuan stone, it will possess the strength of a Wu Xing realm strongman.

  Xuan Stone is not particularly precious and can be exchanged for gold coins in the Wuliang Treasure Pavilion.

  It can be said that with this ink bamboo puppet, Chucheng has a powerful bodyguard. If there is another emergency, it will not fall into crisis again.

  "Thank you, Lady Xiang." Chu Cheng was filled with gratitude.

  "You're too polite." said Mrs. Xiang with a smile.

  "Haha, I get it! I finally understand! From now on, I'm a Spiritual-level Artifact Refiner!" Suddenly, Master Jiuduan burst out laughing: "From now on, I'm a Spiritual-level Artifact Refiner!"

  "This guy... has actually figured it out?" Luo Hongchen was shocked.

  "He's finally enlightened. Yes, after all the hardships, his efforts have paid off. Today, he has finally achieved enlightenment." Madam Xiang sighed emotionally.

  The Ninth Forge Master let out a deep breath, took one step forward and arrived beside Chu Cheng. He solemnly said: "Thank you for bringing this long spear, it has finally made me understand the mysteries of the spiritual artifact."

  "What a wonderful thing! What a wonderful thing!" Chu Cheng clasped his fists in praise, genuinely delighted.

  "Haha, three things, I've completed the first one. This Long Gun Jing Guang, although it has a spiritual aura, but lacks the power of a true spiritual artifact. Now, I will reforge the Long Gun Jing Guang for you, making it a true spiritual artifact, and also repay your kindness!" The Ninth Forge Master laughed loudly and pulled Chu Cheng along as he walked:

  "Madam Xiang, I must take my leave first! I will return to that broken place of mine and re-temper the Long Gun's quiet glow. Another day, I'll come visit again!"

  Before his words had fallen, he pulled Chu Cheng out of Xiang Zhu Ya Ge and flew towards Qi Xuan City.

  "The nine refinements have finally been completed and the spiritual instrument has been forged. However, with the birth of this spiritual instrument, the winds and clouds will change, and it is certain to attract those with evil intentions to covet it. Red dust, you must once again labor to protect the nine refinements and Chu City!" Madam Xiang said softly.

  "Naturally! I'll go to that broken place. However, Lady Xiang, that broken place is within the Seventh Mystic City, and it's likely that Shen Junxiang won't ignore it. It's been many years since we last met, and I don't know what level his abilities have reached!" Luo Hongchen said calmly.

  "Twenty years ago, our generation had people like Xiang Tianling and Chu Tianjiao, who were just jokes. What's the use of being ranked on the surface as a young hero? Under Chu Tiange, it was only you and Jun Xia. At that time, the two of you were already evenly matched, and now you are among the top two of the Ten Greats in the Mountain and Sea Realm. It's really a wonderful story!" Madam Xiang's face showed a nostalgic expression.

  "Shen Junxia... if I don't fight him once, this title of being the strongest among the top ten won't count!" Luo Hongchen's battle intent was overflowing.

  "It doesn't count even if you've won? Don't forget, there's still Chu Tian Ge!" Madam Xiang smiled slightly.

  Lu Hongchen: "......"